Education

The Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA) Foundation is offering 88 scholarships to help individuals interested in pursuing or advancing their career in long-term care. Scholarship opportunities are available for current long-term care employees seeking to advance their health care or leadership skills, as well as high school seniors, veterans or individuals residing in rural Iowa counties who are pursuing an education in health care.

The Standard newspaper office in Waukon hosted some special visitors Wednesday, April 20. First grade students from the classrooms of Ms. Deb Hauber and Ms. Thea Meyer at St. Patrick School in Waukon toured The Standard office for a field trip to learn more about the newspaper and its importance to the community, along with the jobs and processes involved in publishing a newspaper. Students in the two classrooms (pictured at right in a combined photo) had a chance to ask questions and also helped contribute to and edit their own newspaper front page to print and take with them. Standard photo by Joe Moses.

The annual P.E.O. reception for girls from the graduating class at Waukon High School was held Monday, April 18 at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon, marking the 59th anniversary of the event. The evening began with refreshments served. After a welcome by past president Nina Van Gorp, introductions by guests and members were made. President Loretta Schafer presented the program on “Life Can Be Golden,” based on the Little Golden books. The girls then shared memories from their high school years. Submitted photo.
 

Midwest Veterans of America is hosting an essay contest for high school students, freshmen through seniors, with cash prizes awarded to top entries. The theme of the essay is “My American Veteran Hero” and entries are due by May 1.

According to Midwest Veterans of America leadership, all essays must be typed in English with no color or graphics, and contestants can not identify themselves within the essay content. Essays must be the contest entrants’ own work; copied or plagiarized essay content will not be entered into the contest. All essays become the property of the Midwest Veterans of America.

Essays will be judged on how well the entrant understands, develops and presents the theme, which should be a positive representation of the veteran hero being written about. Entries should demonstrate research has been conducted about the hero and the author’s experience with them.

Saturday, April 2, members of the Waukon High School Band performed for the Iowa High School Music Association (IHSMA) State Solo and Ensemble Contests. The event was hosted by Waukon High School and involved each soloist or ensemble performing for a judge who rated their performance on a five-point scale in eight different categories.

The group had 24 events that performed for the festival - 10 soloists and 14 ensembles. At the end of the day, the band had received 22 Division I ratings, one Division II rating, and one Division III rating. Band Director Jo Ann Sherman stated, “I knew by about 10:00 that we were going to have a good day, but I could never have dreamed that we would receive the results that we did by the end of the day.  The students were amazing.

Kee High School’s musical production of “Little Shop of Horrors” (MTI production) hit the stage in the Kee High School gym Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3. Pictured at right are cast and crew members for this year’s productions.

“It was an amazing opportunity for the Kee High students to perform a different type of production with the use of puppets, and they rose to the challenge,” shared staff director Tammy Manning. “Not only was there strong musical/acting talent performed on the stage, but equally top-notch backstage crews along with the sound and light people. Everyone has a job to do to make the show successful, and it truly takes a village of people and support from the community.” Submitted photo.
 

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering a Moped Rider class Saturday, April 23 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, located at 1220 3rd Avenue NW.

This class is required by the state of Iowa for students who are 14 years of age or older who do not possess a driver’s license. Students learn the rules of the road, safe driving skills and laws governing moped use. The course is classroom-only, so a moped is not needed. Upon successful completion of the class, students receive a DOT (Department of Transportation) certificate which must be presented at the driver’s license office to apply for the moped license. Students must be at least 13 years old to take the class.

To register online for “Moped Rider” (#84940) or for more information, visit www.nicc.edu/waukon, or call 844-642-2338, ext. 6700.
 

The Waukon High School Music Department recently took 19 students on a trip to Memphis and Nashville, TN over the school district’s recent spring break from March 24-28. Students were able to learn about and experience American musical history from its roots in blue grass, country and soul music (with some of their activities pictured in the surrounding photos).

The students left by chartered bus Thursday, March 24. When they arrived in Memphis late Thursday evening, their first stop was to the Bass Pro Shop Pyramid, a pyramid-shaped store that was once an event center and sporting arena. The pyramid is so large that it is considered the sixth largest pyramid in the world.

Read Across Iowa launched March 1 and began a month-long celebration to bring the joys of reading to kids of all ages. Agriculturally-themed Read Across Iowa classroom visits happened at New Albin Elementary School and across the state and featured books and materials about agriculture that will appeal to all readers.

Becky Rea, K-12 Program Coordinator from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Allamakee County visited Pre-K through second grade classes at New Albin Elementary School. “Sylvia’s Spinach” or “Right This Very Minute” were read aloud to each class. Classes sampled either a yogurt parfait or salad kabob featuring spinach (far left photo). Pre-K and Kindergarten made plant part flowers (middle photo). First and second grade planted spinach seeds (far right photo). “When you read with children, you are making an investment,” said Rea. “Early reading and talking with children gives them a strong start and a life-long return.”

Kay L. Chapman, CPA PC of Muscatine recently released an audit report on the Eastern Allamakee Community School District in Lansing. A copy of the audit report is available for review in the District Secretary’s Office, in the Office of Auditor of State and on the Auditor of State’s web site at https://auditor.iowa.gov/audit-reports.

The District’s revenues totaled $6,001,009 for the year ended June 30, 2021, a seven-percent increase from the prior year. Expenses for District operations totaled $5,531,906, a six-percent increase from the prior year. Program revenues increased. The increase in expenses is primarily related to instruction expenses.